My Burnout Story: 7 Tested Solutions to Reclaim Your Life and Sanity At Work12 min read

In 2002, I was working as a social media manager while learning another skill online to secure a better future. In the quest to level up my income, I took on a job as a receptionist, thinking it would give me financial relief. But instead of achieving financial relief, I ended up experiencing burnout.

Burnout crept in quietly at first, but it soon took over my life. Between the long hours at work, the pressure to succeed, and my unwillingness to rest, I became physically and emotionally drained. In this blog post, I will break down how it all happened, what it felt like and how I cured my burnout. 

What is burnout? 

Burnout is often misunderstood. Some mistake it for simple laziness or lack of motivation. But it’s actually a state of complete exhaustion – physical, emotional, and mental – caused by prolonged stress without adequate rest. This condition can affect anyone, from parents and students to workers, yet many experience it without even recognizing what’s happening.

Imagine a mother of four children. Her day starts early, getting the children ready for school before heading to work. After a full day at the office, she comes home to manage household chores, help with homework, and prepare for the next day.

This relentless routine, with no time for rest, can take a heavy toll. It might lead to: 

• Struggling to stay focused at work despite her best efforts,
• Snapping at her children over small things, or
• Breaking down in tears without understanding why. 

Burnout is just you making things worse for yourself by trying to make everything else better.

What are the causes of burnout?

One morning, my girlfriend called me in tears with a cracked voice. She was a great teacher who loved her students and was also passionate about education. But lately, she has been feeling different, even to the point of not recognizing herself anymore. 

Her days were always super busy, from attending staff meetings to planning lessons. She always stays up late at night, preparing for the next day and thinking it would make her a better teacher. Instead of making her better, it made her lose the joy she once had as a teacher. 

She told me how she had started hating waking early and even started seeing small tasks as insurmountable. 

Her story is a perfect example of how burnout can creep into our lives because it doesn’t happen overnight. 

Identifying the causes of burnout is the first step to avoiding it, and they are:

Heavy workload 

Taking on too much work than you can handle at work or school can make you burn out. The pressure to juggle multiple responsibilities without sufficient rest can leave you mentally, emotionally, and physically drained.

For instance, being a student with many assignments and being a part-time worker at the same time. Learning to set boundaries and manage workload effectively is crucial in preventing burnout before it takes over.

Doing the same thing every day 

Repetition in our daily tasks can be tiring, especially when the work lacks personal connection. For instance, I once worked as a social media manager where my primary responsibility was to comment before and after posting on two platforms. I felt burned out a few months into the job because I wasn’t enjoying it. 

However, repetition isn’t bad because it’s a powerful tool for growth and mastery. It’s how we hone our craft, and develop our essential skills. The key lies in the purpose and enjoyment we derive from those repeated tasks. 

While repetition can lead to burnout if the tasks feel unfulfilling, it can also be motivating and meaningful when we see the progress it brings.

Being underappreciated 

Doing a lot of work without being appreciated by anyone can cause burnout. It can take away the passion you once had for your job. During the days I worked in the bar, we had one manager who shouted at the slightest mistake without a single appreciation.

This attitude made most of us quit out of frustration. Simple words of appreciation can go a long way in making employees feel seen and valued, reducing the risk of burnout.

Lack of resting

Having no time off from work can rapidly lead to burnout – something I learned the hard way. Working every day at a bar, without any breaks to see family or friends, I convinced myself I could handle the relentless schedule. But reality hit hard after just two months. I felt completely drained. The mere thought of going to work would trigger anxiety, leaving me gasping for breath. That’s when it became clear: the lack of time to rest and recharge was taking a severe toll on both my body and mind.

Feeling misplaced in your job 

It’s easy to feel burned out in your job if it doesn’t match your skills. For instance, the first account I managed as a social media manager was for someone into coding and data analysis. Not knowing much about coding and data analysis caused me serious headaches during the few weeks until I got used to it through research. 

You see, burnout can be caused by several factors, and ignoring them will only make matters worse. 

Symptoms of burnout: How do I know that I’m going through burnout? 

Although I already had a job as a social media manager before returning home from service, I decided to get another job so I could better support my family. 

I got a job as a receptionist. If I’m not attending to a customer, I will be writing or doing something else online. Even when I go home, I will still be doing one or two things online instead of sleeping because I want to meet up with my work demands and also do some assignments. 

A few months into the job, I started regretting why I started it in the first place because I hardly rest. No time for myself at all. No time to sleep properly or even visit friends. 

The last straw that broke the camel’s back was when I came back from work one day, I was feeling super sleepy but ignored the whole feeling because I had a class online. 

When we finally started the class, we hadn’t even gotten to the middle of the class when I started feeling dizzy. 

I almost fainted but was rushed to the hospital. The nurse gave me an injection to calm me down but wasn’t sure of what was wrong with me. But deep down I knew it was the compilation of all the stress I’ve been through. 

It got to a point where I couldn’t even look at my phone again. From the symptoms I was exhibiting, the doctors thought that I was going through a heartbreak but it wasn’t that. I couldn’t even walk properly without someone supporting me, so I had to end my physical job and took an excuse from my remote job to save myself. 

Looking back, these are some symptoms you might experience:

• Complete physical exhaustion, making even simple tasks like getting out of bed a struggle.
• Severe difficulty concentrating and declining productivity.
• Growing aversion to work you once enjoyed.
• Constant, unnecessary anxiety.
• Loss of appetite, even for favorite foods.
• Overwhelming feelings of stress, loneliness, and hopelessness.
• Turning to food or medication for temporary relief.

The symptoms of burnout can be subtle at first but they compound over time. Identifying them early is crucial to help you make amends where necessary without it causing much harm. 

7 Practical Ways I Cured My Burnout 

Burnout can feel like a slow decline into exhaustion, but it’s not a dead end. I’ve been there, and I know how overwhelming it can be. In my darkest moments, I doubted I’d ever feel like myself again, but I did. 

While everyone’s journey is unique, here are 7 strategies that helped me. 

Exercise Regularly 

At the peak of my burnout, even getting out of bed felt like a great job. But I decided to try walking for 10 minutes every morning. At first, it felt pointless, but by the third week, I noticed a shift. My body felt lighter, my mood lifted, and my thoughts became clearer. Exercise gave me energy I didn’t think I had.

Take Regular Breaks 

One of the hardest lessons I learned was to stop pushing myself too hard. I used to pride myself on working nonstop, but it left me super drained. I began setting a timer to take a 10-minute break every hour. These short pauses worked wonders for me. It was during one of these breaks that I realized I had to quit my receptionist job, which was contributing heavily to my stress.

Get Quality Sleep 

My lack of sleep was a major factor in my burnout. I’d stay up late working on assignments, convinced I could sleep later. But “later” never came. I received my wake-up call one evening when I almost fainted from exhaustion. I started prioritizing sleep by setting a bedtime alarm, limiting caffeine in the evening, and using a relaxation app before bed. Within weeks, I felt more rested and could think clearly again.

Force Yourself Out for a Walk 

I’m naturally introverted, so during burnout, I withdrew even more and it worsened my situation. My mom encouraged me to always follow her to her shop. At first, I went reluctantly, but interacting with shopkeepers and observing the bustling environment gradually lifted my spirits. The simple act of leaving the house gave me a sense of normalcy and connection.

Eat Right 

Stress had completely wrecked my appetite, and I survived on junk food for weeks. I was always tired, but I didn’t realize how much my diet played a role. After my hospital scare, I started making small changes, like replacing soda with water and eating more fruits and vegetables. Within days, I felt less sluggish. My meals became an act of self-care, reminding me to nourish my body as much as my mind.

Have Fun 

I thought fun was a luxury I couldn’t afford, but I was wrong. One weekend, my friend dragged me out to a comedy show. I laughed so hard that it felt like a weight was lifted off my chest. From then on, I tried to reconnect with friends, even if it was just for a quick chat. Laughter and shared moments reminded me that life wasn’t just about work and stress. 

Speak with a Therapist if Necessary 

I initially resisted seeing a therapist, thinking I could fix things myself. But after breaking down during a work meeting, I realized I needed help. Therapy gave me a safe space to untangle my emotions and recognize the deeper causes of my burnout. 

While all these steps were helpful, the two most transformative for me were prioritizing sleep and talking to a therapist. Sleep gave me the physical energy I needed to tackle each day, while therapy helped me rebuild my emotional resilience and identify what truly mattered in my life.

Conclusion: Burnout is a signal that you need a break

Burnout is not a sign of weakness or the end of your career, it’s a sign that you need a break because you’re human and not a machine.

Burnout is not just about working too hard—it’s about losing balance, connection, and self-care in the pursuit of your goals. It’s a great reminder to us to listen to our bodies, know our limits, and make intentional choices about how we live and work. My experience taught me that burnout doesn’t define us, but how we respond to it can shape our well-being and future. 

Burnout is a signal, not an end. It’s a reminder to pause, realign, and refocus on what truly matters: your health, happiness, and sense of purpose.

Remember that your health and happiness are your most valuable asset and prioritizing them will help you live peacefully and prevent burnout in the future.

By putting yourself first and engaging in healthy habits daily, you’ll not only end burnout but also succeed in your career and personal life.

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